Red-state politics in and out of the college classroom
Aug 28, 2018 12:56 pm UTC| Insights & Views Politics
For two decades, I have taught U.S. womens and gender history at Southern Illinois University at Carbondale, a blue town in a blue state, marooned in an ocean of red. Bordered by Appalachia, the Mississippi Delta and...
Aug 28, 2018 12:47 pm UTC| Insights & Views Politics
Its almost a year since Australia had a named science minister in Cabinet. Now the role has been revived, following a weekend ministerial reshuffle after Scott Morrison became the new Australian prime minister. Today...
Aug 28, 2018 12:47 pm UTC| Insights & Views Politics
This weeks Newspoll, conducted August 24-26 - the days following the leadership spill - from a sample of 1,780, gave Labor a massive 56-44 lead, a five point gain for Labor since last fortnight. Primary votes were 41%...

Donald Trump's economic gamble with trade wars and tax cuts – he could win big or lose everything
Aug 28, 2018 12:45 pm UTC| Insights & Views Politics
Picture the US-China trade spat as a boxing match (Donald Trump probably has). The US is the slugger the pulverising champion and China is the fast-rising challenger. A bit like George Foreman against Muhammad Ali in the...
Uganda: who is Bobi Wine and why is he creating such a fuss?
Aug 27, 2018 15:36 pm UTC| Insights & Views Politics
Ugandan singer turned politician Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu, known as Bobi Wine, is at the centre of a storm in the East African nation. Ssentamu has been arrested and charged with treason in a civilian court shortly...

Obituary: John McCain, who survived torture and ran for the US presidency
Aug 27, 2018 15:36 pm UTC| Insights & Views Politics
Senator John Sidney McCain III, who has died of brain cancer aged 81, was in many ways in a class of his own. A storied war veteran and 36-year fixture in the US Congress, he forged a career unlike any other in recent...
Julie Bishop goes to backbench, Marise Payne becomes new foreign minister
Aug 27, 2018 15:30 pm UTC| Insights & Views Politics
Julie Bishop has chosen to go to the backbench, to be succeeded by Marise Payne as foreign minister, and the energy and environment portfolio has been split, in Prime Minister Scott Morrisons ministry announced...